Japan’s conservative ruling party elected former Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida as its new leader on Wednesday, “making him all but certain to become Japan’s next prime minister,” Kyodo News reported Thursday.
North Korea launched two short-range ballistic missiles on Wednesday, violating U.N. Security Council resolutions and drawing a sharp condemnation from the Japanese government. The provocative launch suggested tensions are rising on the Korean peninsula again after a relatively peaceful interlude during the Wuhan coronavirus pandemic.
Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide announced Friday he will not seek reelection on September 29 as president of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), meaning he will effectively step down from his role as prime minister, the Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK) reported.
Japan’s Asahi Shimbun published a poll Monday that showed support for Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide and his cabinet dipping to an all-time low of 28 percent as the Tokyo Olympics concluded.
Strained relations between South Korea and Japan took another hit on Monday when South Korean President Moon Jae-in canceled his visit to the Tokyo Olympics and a planned meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide because a Japanese diplomat made “unacceptable” remarks comparing Moon’s diplomatic outreach to masturbation.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Wednesday opposed Japan’s proposed release of contaminated wastewater from the Fukushima reactor and suggested shipping the radioactive waste to the United States instead.
Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide apologized on Wednesday after lawmakers from his ruling party admitted to visiting Tokyo bars late at night during the capital’s coronavirus state of emergency, which discourages unnecessary outings and urges bars and restaurants to close by 8:00 p.m.
Japan’s government on Monday approved a record defense budget of 5.34 trillion yen ($51.6 billion) for 2021 as part of an effort to counter “security challenges posed by China,” Japanese newspaper the Mainichi reported on December 21.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in held a 14-minute telephone conversation with presumptive incoming U.S. president Joe Biden on Thursday to discuss U.S. policy for the Indo-Pacific region, denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, and the coronavirus pandemic.
Sports fans have been left with nothing to shout about after organizers of next year’s postponed Tokyo Olympic Games said they may seek an order banning spectators from cheering as well shouting or talking loudly, to minimise the risk of coronavirus infections.
Japanese Prime Minster Suga Yoshihide said on Thursday that the Summer Olympics in 2021 may be a “good opportunity” to discuss important matters, including a peace deal, with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un. He did not confirm Kim would receive an invite, nor did he rule it out.
